Adum traders have been given a two-week ultimatum by the Mayor of Kumasi, Mr. Richard Boadi, to halt trading activities on pavements and roadsides in the Adum area. The ultimatum sternly issued comes with sanctions such as public lashing of defaulters.
In his speech while addressing the press in Kumasi on Monday, 14th April, 2025, the Mayor declared “war” on illegally trading on pavements and roadsides, starting from Wednesday, 16th April, 2025, as part of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly’s rigorous decongestion exercise in the city’s central business district.
He did not fail to disclose with emphasis that traders who fail to comply with the directive after the deadline will be dealt with severely.
“I have my own democratic military style, which I will be implementing. When we say leave this space and you don’t leave this space, and I get there, and you’re not lucky and my boys are with me, there and then, we will beat you,” the Mayor stated.
On behalf of the Assembly, he explained the failure of previous methods – such as goods confiscation and arrests – to yield results and the need to crach down the illegality in a more severe way.
Trading activities on pavements and roadsides, according to the Mayor, contributes to the congestion of the Adum area while tarnishing the image of the city as Africa’s “Garden City”.
He expressed his readiness to use force if necessary. “In the middle of Adum, if I’m alone, you will be lucky, but if I’m with my ten boys, in their pick-up with their whips, trust me, we will beat you,” he said. “If you don’t want to experience that kind of situation, do what is right and lawful.”
While appealing to the traders to obey the directive, he presented the crackdown as a subject of civic responsibility and pride. “This is Otumfuo’s city. We must preserve its beauty and order,” the Mayor declared, calling on traders to relocate peacefully to avoid the consequences.